All That Glitters
by Music is the Song of Life
Summary: The dwarfs of Erebor were known for their craftsmenship, their jewels hewn from precious stones. Yet the trials of nomadship have taught them that all that glitters is not gold and the bonds of family can bring about the greatest pain. For one young dwarf, an unexpected journey across Middle Earth will bring about the greatest bonds and the fiercest loss.
1. Travels by Night

_The chaos of battle erupted throughout the valley, eagle and orc screams clashing together like the steel of blades. Swords swung down heavy upon enemies. The battle raged on._

_The young dwarven women looked misplaced, as if she didn't belong, but her armor and battle axes dictated differently. She spun elegantly, knocking into her enemies with a blunt force that rattled their bones. She cleared her way through the field of battle, knocking into the skulls or orcs and goblins as she went. Her body was spent and she knew not how much longer she could keep up her strength in order to heave the axes. The sounds of battle raged on, and then slowly, silence fell._

_The darkness closed in around her, leaving her alone. She turned her head, her mind fuzzy. Time seemed to slow down and her senses were dulled. Was this what it felt like? Was this how it felt to die?_

_She didn't realize it until then, but she was crying. The tears rolled down her face freely. No, she was not dying, but she felt the loss deep within her, like she'd just watched someone die. The emptiness, it consumed her until she was left with nothing; Much like the darkness surrounding her now._

_This was the feeling of loss. She knew from the ache in her heart. They were gone. Everyone she had ever truly cared for. They were gone._

_Gone…_

* * *

Ilona shot up from her bedroll in a cold sweat. The nightmare had not been frightening, but it had been disconcerting. It was also not foreign to her. She had had this recurring nightmare for many moons now, but had yet to derive its meaning. She had been to the sages of Belegost and had visited several gypsy tribes that traveled past the dwarven colonies. None could help her. So she spent her nights in a cold sweat and racing thoughts.

Night had fallen over Middle Earth, leaving a comforting silence over the landscape. Ilona looked to the sky, mapping out the stars and few constellations she had learned. She listened closely as the sounds of the night came alive. The occasional owl hoot broke through the restful evening along with the skittering of creatures beneath the underbrush and the few ominous noises that came from far off in the lowlands.

The young maiden rose and put away her bedroll, strapping it to her travelling pack. She reassessed the area they had made camp in, glancing over at the remains of the small fire they had struck in order to eat much earlier that day. She glanced around at her seven guards and watched as they all continued to sleep soundly, save for one. A red headed dwarf sat near the outskirts of the camp site, keeping watch for anything that may have tried to take the company by surprise. She finished fastening the clasps on her pack and shouldered it before walking over to her firey-haired companion. The red-haired dwarf shifted lightly at his post, but otherwise took no notice of the approaching she-dwarf. As Ilona came to his side, the young she-dwarf began prodding him with her foot.

"Darren, we must go. Night has fallen."

The words seemed to rouse something urgent in the burly dwarf, for he rose and quickly packed up his things. His green eyes shone under the now heavy moonlight. He quickly fastened a grey cloak around his shoulders and stoop, pack in hand. Even at night, his frame was intimidating.

"I don't suppose it would do much good to say how much I disapprove of your decision M'lady," his face was scored with age and battle wear, "These lands are not safe at night."

Ilona put her hand up to silence him. She had heard it all before. Darren took his cue and woke the rest of the travelling party, six more dwarfs who all did as they were instructed and packed up their supplies and loaded up their horses. As Ilona strapped the last of her supplies into one of her saddle bags, she looked back up into the sky, the thoughts of her dream returning as she heard the far off orc screams.

* * *

Journeying west of Bree, the small dwarven company took to traveling by night. The company of eight rode on their small-bred horses, often referred to as ponies, and traversed by the light of one lantern, strapped to the side of the pony ridden by the leader of the troupe. All the rider's hoods were drawn about their faces, though every member was on high alert. Night was not the safest time to travel.

"M' lady, I must ask that you see reason," Darren spoke up, though he was careful to not speak above a whisper. His face was riddled with battle scars and age marks. A particularly long scar along the left side of his jaw stood out the most, though it was currently covered by the night, though his red hair was not. "We shall reach The Shire by early morn, even if we should stop for the remainder of the evening," he finished, watching his leader carefully.

Ilona, whom had pulled her turquoise cloak around her face, pulled down the hood to address the company. Her long black hair and tan complexion, stood out among dwarfs, and she was a rarity if there ever was any. She turned her chestnut mare and ceased her movement, causing the entire company to stop and watch her. The way she held herself even demanded respect, though she had a very soft look about her.

"Though I know the dangers of traveling by night, I would very much like to precede my father to The Shire. I've already missed our rendezvous outside of Bree due to his appointment with the Dwarves of the Iron Hills," She again pulled her hood to shroud her face, "So we continue on."

The company was taken aback by her resolved tone, all except for Darren who had initially addressed her. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he had been smiling at her reaction.

"As you wish, Lady Ilona."

* * *

The company traveled forth in silence, not daring to again question her authority. The young woman smiled to herself. It was a rarity; there was no denying otherwise, for dwarfs to listen to anyone, especially females. Rare as they were, they were not fragile creatures but it went against every known dwarven convention for them to lead, especially among traveling companies. But Ilona held her own against many of her own people, having to prove her abilities on more than one occasion. Granted, she had been bested a fair amount, but she refused to back down from any challenge, regardless of how futile it seemed. A quality she could probably attribute to her dwarven stubbornness.

For every step forward the company took, it seemed the forest grew ever darker and more terrifying. The ominous cries that once sounded so far away in the lowlands seemed so very close now. The riders tried not to let it show how fearful they were, especially their leader, Ilona, though she had doused the lantern that once lit their path, opting for the safety of complete darkness rather than a beacon to determine their location. The skittering of tiny creatures amongst the underbrush had turned into to quieted footsteps it seemed and twigs cracked underneath each stride from the pressure. The young women slowly reached for the bow on her shoulder and quietly notched an arrow looking into the darkness.

It was then that the beasts burst from the surrounding forest, overtaking the party with ease. With no time to arm themselves, minus the few that had watched their huntress leader notch her bow, the orcs took down half the party in their initial strike, leaving the remaining four to defend themselves sparsely. One of the four was bested by a warg and its rider not long after, leaving the three dwarves on horseback vigilant and with swords drawn. The young dwarven woman began releasing numerous arrows, killing two wargs and their riders while her two male companions fell a couple of scouts. Ilona reached again for her quiver of arrows, only to find it empty.

That was when she heard it. The especially angry language of the orcs, being shouted into the night. The words made her shudder.

"_She's the child taken in by Durin! She is the master's prize_."

An especially large warg jumped from the tree line and grabbed the troupe leader in its jaws before landing roughly on the ground below. Having the wind forced from her lungs, Ilona lost her grip on her bow and stared wide eyed into the eyes of the creature above her. The warg snarled and bared its hideous teeth, and the woman could smell the decaying flesh embedded in its gnashing jaws. She suppressed the bile rising in her throat and stared her enemy in the eyes while simultaneously reaching for her sword, which had slid from her side to just out of reach.

"_The Dwarf scum will come to us willingly, knowing we have you_."

The warg lunged forward and young woman prepared her body for the oncoming pain.

So this was how it ended. Bested by a warg and its jaws. She would be ripped to shreds. She'd never see her family again. Never hear her father's voice or the laughs of her closest friends. That deepening feeling of loss from her dream began to form in her stomach.

She expected the pain to be excruciating, but none came. Instead, she heard the loud yelp of the warg as the sound of metal raking across flesh reached her ears. She opened her eyes that she had clenched shut and saw her red headed traveling companion standing before her, bloody sword in a guarded position and an angry warg before him. He turned so she could barely make out his profile in the moonlight. She could see the sheen of what she could only assume to be blood on his face.

"Go m'lady!" He yelled in a straightforward tone, fear and courage etched upon his features, bringing out the aging lines in his face, "We shall fend them off. Go Ilona!"

She wasted no time. The woman stood and grabbed her bow and sword from where it had fallen when she was attacked. She searched out her horse, which happened to be trying to ward off a warg and its rider, albeit quite unsuccessfully. The She-dwarf grabbed the reins of the horse and quickly mounted the saddle before bolting through the forest, leaving the remaining members of her company behind. She dared not turn for fear of watching as her guards and dear friends were slain at the hands of an orc and its blade. She never slowed, riding well into the early morning and she stopped only when the horizon lit up with the fate tinge of dawn. The orc screams and the clash of blades had faded long ago, leaving the surrounding area terrifyingly silent.

* * *

It was then that she felt it. The pain; the blinding, searing pain in her abdomen that reached well up to her ribs. It was excruciating, and the she-dwarf wondered how she'd riden so long without taking any notice of it. The young dwarven rider dismounted her pony, much to the disagreement of her wounds, and came to rest at the bank of a stream. After taking the time to splash some of the cooling water on her face to wake her body she sat and collected her thoughts. The events of the evening had taken its toll on the young woman and she was just now feeling the effects of the orc's attack. She could feel the large lacerations under her tunic, probably caused when she'd been dismounted by the warg and its jaws. The wetness she felt running down her side could only be blood. She was surprised she'd not passed out from shock or blood loss.

Ilona quickly removed her outer weapons: her sword, made from precious dwarven metal; and knapsack filled with miscellaneous weapons of choice, such as throwing knives; and her bow, a gift from her father that was covered in ancient dwarven runes, though neither father nor daughter had ever been educated on their meaning. After doing so, she removed some of her outer clothing, leaving her only in her sage green tunic and her breeches. The young maiden carefully pulled her tunic up to above her chest bindings. The blood has seeped deep into the fibers of her clothes, causing it to stick in places, causing her to yelp in pain every time it latched. She removed the tunic and soaked it in the creek, allowing the water to rinse the crimson fluid from the fibers.

Laying it aside, the maiden looked at her wounds more closely. The lacerations were angry and inflamed, which could only mean she was fighting and impending infection. She rummaged through her knapsack and pulled from it a small wooden box, delicately engraved. She pulled from it two medicinal herbs and quickly dressed the wound to prevent further bleeding and infection. After she completed her patch job, she quickly looked around, noticing how close she was to what seemed like the edge of the forest. Her night run had seemingly brought her closer to a village. Hopefully, she was not too late to make this meeting.

Her father would not be happy about this.


	2. A Small Dose of Hobbiton

The sun had since risen above the horizon and was bathing the landscape in a distinctly warm glow. Noon fast approaching, Ilona rode her horse across the lush green landscape of The Shire. She knew their meeting was here, but knew not when or where. What was it the grey wizard had said? Look for the green door at the top of the knoll and watch for the writing of 'thief.' Or something to that effect. Curse that cryptic old man.

Ilona's thoughts wandered back to the previous evening. Flashes of violent growls and teeth plagued her mind, leaving her lightheaded. The blood loss she had sustained probably did her no good either. The wound on her side pulsed at the thought, reminding her of how close she'd come to being ripped to shreds by the jaws of the wargs; and how most of her companions probably had been.

The young she-dwarf wondered of the fate of her most trusted guard, Darren. She had hand picked him for her travels, after being badgered by one of her father's top advisors to take on the company of no less than eight. He was a dear friend as well as her most trusted guard since she was young, no more than 32. Normally, she would have taken him along regardless, mostly for the company; but she had only planned on traveling with only him in order to account for better traveling time and less liability. Balin remained adamant, however, and the young she-dwarf quickly compiled her travel company, including Darren. Looking back, the advice now seemed suspicious. Eight was a large party, no matter how you looked at it. For a simple escort, it was borderline excessive. She knew her father to be the worrying type, but never thought he'd exude more resources than necessary, knowing of her skills and ability when it came to travelling parties. Could Balin have possibly known of the dangers awaiting her?

Ilona's mind swam with the frenzy of thoughts that now worried her entire being. She'd heard the stories of The Battle of Azanulbizar. She'd grown up hearing them. Azog had been a force to be feared. He had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. The very line she was now a part of. The orcs chilling words ran through her head, the chilling meaning now blatantly obvious.

"She is the child taken in by Durin! She is the master's prize."

She had been hunted. They knew who she was, and given the opportunity, she would be hunted again. The orcs would use her to get to her father.

Thorin Oakenshield

* * *

The lush green covering the knolls of the shire seemed endless. A sea of emerald dotted with the brass knobbed doors that could only be home to the numerous hobbits that inhabited the area.

Though Ilona had never met any hobbit personally, she'd heard stories of the few that took to adventuring past the eastern border away from their homeland. They were a friendly, portly people who reveled in the comforts and joys of home; especially in their pantries, which were always stocked full of fresh produce, breads and cheeses. The young she-dwarf wondered amusedly to herself how any of these people would be of any use to the company as a 'thief.' These hobbits seemed more interested in their smoke pipes and gardens then stealing back a kingdom.

* * *

Ilona's wounds cried out and she leaned forward on her horse to counteract the pain. She would probably need a good few stitches to seal up the larger wounds in order to keep them from becoming aggravated. She hoped that Thorin had thought to bring along a good medic. She could not imagine he hadn't, but on the off chance he didn't he would be forced to miss out on the first leg of the journey in order to find one. And knowing her father, he'd leap at the opportunity to leave her behind and out of harm's way. But Aule be damned if she would be left behind while the buffoons went on the adventure of a lifetime.

The buffoons she mentally referred to were the two heirs of Durin, Thorin's sister sons. Though Ilona had been taken in by Thorin and would be married in order to continue his legacy and name, the right to rule belonged to Fili and Kili. They were young, Kili only preceding her by five years; and incredibly sheltered, all things considered. Not to mention their general hard-headedness and charm. The princes were among the most pig-headed dwarves, as well as her closest friends. And well, one was more.

Ilona smiled as she noted the silver glisten that came from the level of her left shoulder. She reached up and toyed with the delicate braid that fell right behind her left ear. A simple leather strap and red ribbon were interwoven into the braid, which was held by a simple silver clasp, marked with Durin's royal symbol.

The braid, though so simple, represented the future. In dwarven tradition, braids were used to represent milestones, especially for more intimate affairs, like engagements and family honors. The thought of the engagement braid to her left made Ilona smile, despite her current physical state. After all of this was over, there was much to look forward to.

* * *

The day had passed quickly, the sun quickly setting to the west. Ilona had given up on her search for the burglar's home and had taken to exploring a nearby town fair. Mostly just local vendors with random booths and stalls filled with textiles, foods, spirits and all sorts of miscellaneous goods. Not surprisingly, Ilona saw no weapons and was receiving several sideways glances for the bow slung over her shoulder and the twin hammers fastened to her hip. Some of the looks were inquisitive, for she held a good head and a half on most of theses hobbits; and her raiment and cloak didn't quite fit in with the homely dress of these...well, homely people.

She slowly approached a booth that was filled to the brim with fruits and dried meats. After acquiring a few apples and a half pound of dried veal, she turned to the shopkeeper, a decent looking older gentleman with silver hair and a crimson vest.

"Pardon sir, but you wouldn't happen to know of Gandalf the Grey?"

Seemingly shocked at her manners and use of language, the old gentleman was slightly taken aback, but quickly composed himself as to not be seen as rude.

"The wizard?" He spluttered while trying to think to himself if she were trustworthy or not. After looking over her travel worn face a seeing no danger he continued, "He's quite well known in these parts, especially for his fireworks."

So, the wizard was here. Or, he was close at least.

"Mrs. Evingloom actually saw him this morning," the older gentleman continued, clearly now unaware of Ilona's existence, more wrapped up in his thoughts than her strange appearance, "Somewhere around the old Baggin's place I believe."

Baggins. That name sounded familiar. Probably had been mentioned the last time she'd spoke with Thorin. Ilona turned around after hearing an odd ruckus from the other end of the fair. There had been womanly screaming and some gruff voices. She could swear she heard something about "bloody, useless hobbits," and "missing in the forest."

"What on earth?" Ilona questioned, looking bewilderedly toward the commotion, "How strange. Good sir, could you tell me-"

She had turned back to speak with the shopkeeper, only to find him gone. Must have caught sight of the sword on her left. Bloody thing wasn't even hers and she got into trouble. Damn the brothers and their protective manner.

* * *

The sun had well set now and there seemed to be a full out party going on in Hobbiton. Glittering lights had been strung up and gave the impression of glittering stars on the nearby lake. Many hobbits had gathered and were partaking in a hearty meal, music and general merrymaking. Ilona felt quite at home for the first time in weeks, since she'd started her travels from Belegost. She missed the Dwarfs and their general celebratory nature. The music, the dancing, the singing: it was enough to make anyone homesick.

Ilona saw strange movement out of the corner of her eye. A large, stocky group was standing not far off, standing near a figure nearly twice their size, wearing a quite recognizable wizard's hat.

"Gandalf?"

As if on cue, the group moved away, making their way up a nearby knoll, towards one of the large round doors that Ilona had seen earlier. How peculiar.

* * *

Ilona followed quite a distance behind and watched quite amusedly as the entire group fell face forward into the threshold of what looked like a very well to do home. She had to stifle a laugh for fear of drawing attention from a passing neighbor.

She watched as the group collected itself and moved on into the house, leaving the host standing wide mouthed at the door. Snapping out of his trance, he fixated his gaze on the old wizard, glaring pointedly at the old man. Ilona took this opportunity to approach the door, quickly walking trough the slightly rusted gate. The creaking sound it created drew the attention of both men at the door.

"Ah, my dear, looks like you found the place after all."

Ilona smiled at the old wizard despite herself. She had been irritated by his cryptic words earlier, but now simply found happiness in finally finding her way to the meeting.

"No thanks to you Gandalf. I'd still be wondering the forest right now if I'd only relied on your information."

The wizard laughed heartedly, while turning to the small hobbit beside him.

"Bilbo Baggins, I would like to introduce a very exceptional young dwarf. Ward of the leader of our company."

Ilona looked toward the hobbit, who simply stared at her, taking in her appearance, from her dust covered face, to her twin hammers and sword. Her natural, feminine beauty shone through even so, and Bilbo couldn't help himself staring.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Baggins. I am Ilona," she bowed low and chuckled as she watched as the hobbit collected himself from the corner of her eye.

"At your service."


	3. A Merry Gathering

Bilbo Baggins couldn't decide what bothered him more: the numerous dwarfs that were currently in the process of pillaging his pantry and kitchen, or the young dwarf girl they'd brought along. She looked incredibly out of place among the group of burly dwarven men, though her armor and weapons clearly dictated otherwise. He, however, could not imagine why they would have her along.

Ilona had fallen right in tune with the dwarven company, even picking up on their horrible manner of taking copious amounts of food from the pantry and placing it at the now over crowded dining room table. She had already passed by with three plates of ham and bread, though he could not for the life of him figure out what she, of all people, would do with that much food. She was quite possibly the skinniest dwarf he'd ever seen.

He watched in horror as two younger dwarfs (named Vili and Gili or something to that effect) took the liberty of moving an entire barrel of ale into the dining room whilst the rest of the company gathered more chairs and, much to his dismay, more food from his once plentiful pantry. He also noted how Ilona seemed to keep close to the two young dwarfs, even joking and laughing with them. The closeness of she and the darker haired male was quite, what was it...heartwarming.

He caught the two young dwarfs stealing glances throughout the entire introductory ruckus, and watched as they had initially settled close together as the table sat down to a quite rambunctious meal. He could not help but wonder...

* * *

Ilona was beyond excited to see Fili and Kili again. Upon seeing them, she almost jumped into their arms. She had not seen them since their last meeting in Belegost, when they had resolved to come on this quest, much to her father's dismay. She couldn't blame him though. The quest had become a family affair, and the last thing he wanted was to put any of them in danger.

After pulling away from Kili, she looked at him longingly, knowing they probably had much to discuss. He had not wanted her to come along more than her father, but she refused to be left behind. Underneath it all though, he was glad to have her along. Her very presence was enough to make a grown man sane.

"I do believe this is yours love."

Ilona reached to her side and quickly untied the sword and sheath from her belt, handing the blade to the dark haired dwarf. He took it, although begrudgingly. He would rather she keep it so she could better defend herself.

"It's been weighing me down the entire time. I've got enough with the bow and hammers."

She'd read his silence like a book. It was almost like a terrifying gift. He watched her lovingly as she sauntered into the next room to converse with Dwalin, more likely about battle strategies as she always did. The burly dwarf had a blatant soft spot for the girl and had taught her from the time when she had taken up a knack for the twin hammers. He had been quite unwilling to train a woman at first, especially in the art of battle. But he had quickly succumbed to the unrelenting charm that was Ilona's persona.

"Aye lass, I trust your travels went well."

Ilona decided against telling Dwalin of her meeting with the orcs and went on to speak of the Southlands, where she had been to visit with their kin on matters of this expedition.

"All went as exepected. Beral sends his regards, though he still remains proud as ever and refuses to see me as an equal."

Dwalin laughed in regards to the Dwarf lord. Since Thorin had taken to sending Ilona as an ambassador, the only one who didn't agree with hi decision was Beral, who fancied politics as a man's world. Although, Ilona's calm temperament and decisions were a welcome change of pace.

"That's dwarven men for ya lass. Get used to it."

Ilona feigned offense and smacked Dwalin in the arm, an action she knew would do no harm to his muscular build.

Kili watched Ilona with a dazed expression, seeminly hypnotized by her presense. Fili watched his brother's glances and smiled knowingly at his brother.

"Careful brother, she might prove too strong willed for you," Fili laughed heartedly as his brother turned to him red-faced and chuckling.

"If only brother." He again turned to watch Ilona conversing with Dwalin. Fili smiled as he caught sight of the small braid behind his left ear, nearly identical to the one Ilona wore.

"If only."

* * *

The young she-dwarf was currently making rounds about the table, passing out extra plates and baskets of bread, as well as making pleasant conversation with everyone she walked past. This particular evening was full of numerable conversation topics, from adventure and danger to the state of the weather and comfort foods (A quite portly dwarf named Bombur's particular favorite). Ilona took in the general happiness of the gathering with fervor for she missed the feelings of being gathered around a table surrounded by friends.

Poor Bilbo knew not how she did it. Even amongst the rambunctious dwarf men, Ilona held her beauty very well. He'd never heard of dwarfs with such dark complexions. Most were tan or pale but she was...different.

The gathering had become rather loud with many quips and exchanges shared between the dwarfs. At one point, Fili had gotten up to retrieve tankards of ale for the company and had walked back to his seat across the top of the table, passing out tankards as he went. Ilona laughed as Dwalin muttered something about a "great galumphing git" and watched as he then proceeded to poor ale down dear Oin's ear horn, causing eruptions of laughter from the entire company.

She watched on as the company continued in their merrymaking, drinking numerous tankards of ale and having a quite impressive belching contest. Excited murmurs broke out everywhere, the impending quest heavy on everyone's mind.

Ilona's side throbbed in pain, and she quickly grasped at it to ease the sensation, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Fili nor Kili. She avoided their gazes knowing the argument this would bring on, especially with Kili. She did not want to dampen the mood on the party. She quickly stood and walked over toward Oin, where she could speak with him privately while also avoiding attention with all the goings on around her, though she could practically feel the dwarf brothers gaze upon her as she sat in her new place next to the nearly deaf dwarf.

Ilona whispered into the dwarfs ear, quickly silencing him when he jumped back to yell, which would have effectively drawn the entire table's attention. She again pulled him in to whisper something more urgent and he looked at her with a look of pure understanding. He went to stand, but was again retrained by the young she-dwarf.

"After dinner."

With that Ilona left the deaf healer and returned to her spot beside the two brothers.

Kili felt uneasy as he had watched Ilona converse with the elder dwarf. He grew ever more unsettled as he watched her face contort in pain as she ran into Ori as she passed him. The pained expression vanished as quickly as it came and she carefully took a spot between the two brothers, whom exchanged a worried look.

* * *

Whilst Mr. Baggins proceeded to chase Nori about the house, muttering something about doilies and dishcloths; most of the dwarfs took to sitting around the table quite contentedly, whilst some pulled out their pipes and enjoyed a good smoke. Ilona had finally gotten her hand on a tankard of ale and sat quite happily with it in hand, taking large sips from it every now and again. Kili had gone walking with his pipe in hand, leaving Fili and Ilona seated at the table.

"What happened?"

Fili's question was matter of fact, as if he already knew the answer. Ilona tightened her grip on the large tankard and averted her eyes. She knew she needed to tell them about the attack, especially Kili. She just did not want to worry them. She had handled it after all.

"We will speak of this later Fili, when we are not so...public."

Fili stood, clearly bothered by the answer. He dropped he subject however, and went to tend to Ori, who was questioning Mr. Baggins about where to put his dirty dishes. Ilona watched amusedly as Fili began tossing dirty plates and dishes through the hall to a bow present Kili, who in turn threw the dishes to Bifur, who was standing at the sink. Ilona could not help but laugh at the poor hobbit's misfortune. He looked about ready to have a panic attack and ran between the brothers trying to reclaim his flying pottery.

"Thats's my mother's West Farthing pottery, it'd over a hundred years old!"

Bofur, Dori, Nori and Gloin had taken to playing rhythms with the cutlery, clanging them together and stomping their feet in time, which also made Bilbo's skin crawl.

"And could you please not do that? You'll blunt them."

Ilona knew all too well how this was going to end for poor Mr. Baggins. The dwarf would play on his i securities and would push him to his tolerance limit.

"Oh, do you hear that lads?" Bofur questioned, while simultaneously keeping up the going rhythm, "He says we'll blunt the knives."

Kili burst into song at that very moment, a very welcome sound to Ilona's ears. She was glad to hear happiness in Kili's voice, even if it were only temporary. She knew she'd have to speak to him later.

_Blunt the knives and bend the forks!_

Fili joined in, radiating the same impish happiness as his younger brother.

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks!_

Ilona decided she would join in singing, her alto toned voice a pleasant lightness among the gruff voices of the dwarven men surrounding her.

Chip the glasses and crack the plates!

The rest of the company took this as cue and everyone joined in, their voices carrying through the entire house. Pans, silverware and dishes were sent flying through the air with every word.

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread the fat!_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor!_

_Splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole;_

_And when you've finished, if any are whole,_

_Send them down the hall to roll!_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

Ilona had continued tossing plates and dancing about the room as the song carried on. Her happiness seemed contagious, as the entirety of the company's spirits were perked as she danced and singed.

As the song ended, Bilbo seemed most shocked as he saw all of his dishes stacked in the center of the table, all clean and none broken. Laughter erupted around him, the company revelling in his shocked expression.

Three loud knocks at the door ceased all sound within the home. No one spoke or even dared to breathe for fear of somehow setting off some sort of unforeseen chain of events. Ilona's very breath hitched in her throat as she thought of the now imminent confrontation. There was no avoiding it now. Gandalf was the one who broke the quite uncomfortable silence.

"He is here."


	4. Tales of Erebor

Thorin had finally arrived. Though Ilona was relieved that his travels had gone much smoother than her own, she was not excited for the impending conversation that was bound to happen. She tried to clear her mind of the thoughts but they continued to intrude on her mind. She was momentarily distracted when Thorin mentioned something about lost. Twice. She chuckled to herself. So much for his keen sense of direction. She was drawn back to reality as Bilbo began ranting about having his door painted.

"Bilbo Baggins allow me to introduce the leader of our company," Gandalf paused as Thorin passed his traveling cloak off to Kili, "Thorin Oakenshield."

"So," Thorin began initially assessing the hobbit, "this is the Hobbit." His tone radiated unimpressed and he went on to question about Bilbo's choice in weapons.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Ilona focused on Bilbo, curious as to how this would turn out.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know," Bilbo answered, which made Ilona shake her head in disbelief, "But I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much," Thorin smugly stated. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." This made the entire company of dwarfs chuckle.

Thorin turned toward Ilona who smiled before walking forward to embrace him, burying her face in the fur lining of his coat. She never thought she'd miss the feeling of the fur tickling her face. Now, in the arms of her father, Ilona felt now how close she had come, to losing everything. The warg's jaws bearing down into her flesh, the heat of the breath filled with death on her face. Her foolish decision had almost cost her her life. For the moment, she felt safe.

"I trust you journey fared well _Zander_."

Ilona watched Thorin's face carefully, judging if he knew more than she was willing to tell. She smiled cheekily at him, trying to end the conversation.

"About as well as expected."

* * *

Thorin sat to eat, having been offered some stew that had somehow been spared from the groping hands of the many hungry dwarfs. Balin was the first to speak, asking of his meeting in Ered Luin. After taking a sip of his stew, he replied with a simple grin, "Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms."

"And what of the Boar Riders of the Southlands? Any word from them?" Gloin questioned. Thorin's gaze turned to Ilona, for she had been the ambassador to that meeting, as Thorin was need at Ered Luin around the same time.

"They send their well wishes and have given that should we be in dire need of aid or supplies to send word," Ilona began, drawing light rings around the rim of the tea cup she had acquired, "But they will not ready themselves initially. They say the stakes are too high."

Thorin cast his eyes down, though he had not expected differently. He was glad for the supplies should he need them.

"And what do the Dwarves from the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin then asked. "Is Dain with us?"

Thorin's face then turned grim as his eyes dropped down to the table. "They will not come," he said, "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" asked Bilbo, who was standing behind Gandalf and Thorin.

Gandalf then requested a little more light from the Hobbit and then proceeded to pull out a piece of parchment. "Far to the East," he began, "over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands lies a single solitary peak." He laid the parchment down to reveal a map.

"The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo pointed out as he held a candle out over it.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time," said Gloin, motioning to his brother who was sitting across the table.

Oin, while still holding his ear horn to his deaf right ear, said, "Ravens have been seen returning to the mountain, as it was foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

Bilbo whipped around fearfully at the word "beast."

"What beast?" he asked nervously.

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug, the Terrible; chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," answered Bofur. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meat-hooks, extremely fond of precious metals—"

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo quickly said, trying to stop Bofur from continuing.

Ori, a young scribe whom was coming along to chronicle the journey, then jumped from his seat, a determined look on his face.

"I'm not afraid, I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" he exclaimed. He was then silenced and pulled back down into his chair by his older brother, Dori. Ilona smiled at his courage and gave him a reassuring nod from where she sat.

"The task would be difficult enough even with an army behind us. But we number just fourteen," said Balin, who was starting to sound rather doubtful. "And we're not fourteen of the best…nor brightest." The rest of the Dwarves started to grumble at this. Though Ilona did not appreciate the doubtful words, se knew there was reason behind it. He was right in his deductions. Fili then banged his fist loudly on the table, effectively drawing attention and began loudly, "We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us! To the last Dwarf!"

It was clear that his brother's words had had an empowering effect on Kili, who immediately added, "And do you forget? We have a wizard in our company! Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

The wizard began to protest against Kili's assumption, but was cut off by Dori, who asked, "Well, how many then?" When Gandalf hadn't heard his question the first time, the Dwarf asked again.

"How many dragons have you killed?" Now everyone's eyes fell on the grey wizard, waiting for an answer. When he gave none and started coughing (or more accurately choking on) smoke from his pipe, Dori grew impatient.

"Go on, give us a number!" He, along with a majority of the Dwarves, stood up from their chairs and starting shouting and arguing loudly.

Ilona leaned forward a pinched the bridge of her nose. This meeting was getting nowhere. They'd be lucky to make it to the East side of Bree at this rate, with all the fighting they were doing amongst themselves.

Thorin stood from his place at the head of the table and let out a fierce yell, effectively silencing everyone. The arguing was pointless and he was going to put an end to it.

"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too?" he asked. "Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look to the East assessing, wondering, weighing the risk…perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected." His voice, so empowered as he asked the final question, belonged to one who was a natural leader, "Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours…or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!"

The Dwarves all cheered in accordance with their Thorin; who, very accordingly was now their King.

_"Du békar!"_ Thorin shouted as the final rally cry, which brought more cheers and a smile to Ilona's face. Her father really was a born leader.

But then Balin cut into their cheering. "You forget the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said to him and then, with a flourish of his hand, produced a large, old fashioned key from his pocket.

Thorin, now seated in his chair again, looked with surprise at the key. "How came you by this?"

Gandalf answered, "It was given to me by your father; by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." He handed the key to the Dwarf who gratefully accepted it and put it in his own pocket.

"If there is a key, there must be a door," Fili stated, though the statement was quite an obvious deduction.

Gandalf pointed down at the map. "These runes speak of a hidden passage leading to the lower halls."

Kili's face lit up. "There's another way in," he said gladly. The look on his face was hopeful and it made Ilona's heart flutter.

"Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gandalf pointed out. He began gesturing back to the map with his hand. "The answer lies hidden in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it," he admitted, "but there are others in Middle-Earth who can." His eyes lifted from the parchment to Thorin's. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever, I believe it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar!" Ori said as if he was now catching on.

"A good one, too," said Bilbo, having not spoken for a little while now, though completely oblivious to the meaning behind his next words, "An expert, I would imagine."

"And are you?" Gloin questioned him.

Bilbo turned and looked around to see who Gloin was talking to, but then realized the question was directed at him. "Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert!" Oin cried out cheerfully, even though he clearly couldn't hear, even with the ear horn.

"No, no, no, I'm not a burglar!" Bilbo protested immediately. "I've never stolen a thing in my life."

'At least he's honest,' Ilona thought to herself, though she believe that Master Hobbit would turn out to surprise everyone here. Maybe even himself.

The air soon filled with loud noise again as the Dwarves began heatedly debating about Bilbo. This arguing had to stop.

Just then, a cloud of darkness overcame the room as Gandalf stood up and angrily stated in a firm voice, "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is."

Ilona, quite shaken by Gandalf's extensive power, let loose a breath she was not aware she had been holding. She glance around the table and noticed how all the dwarfs had completely silenced, probably fearful to upset the Wizard again.

Gandalf had composed himself and was continuing with his talk to the Dwarves about Bilbo. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet and can pass unseen by most, if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of Dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." He lowered himself back down to their level. "You asked me to find the fifteenth member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins," he boldly said to Thorin, making known to him that we would not be dissuaded in his decision. "There is more to him than appearances suggest and he has a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself."

Thorin remained silent for a short moment before saying at last to the wizard, "Very well, we'll do it your way." He looked to Balin. "Give him the contract," he told him.

Ilona turned her attention to Bilbo who made his way into the hallway and was reading the contract that Thorin had forced into his arms out loud to himself. He seemed relatively content with the conditions of the contract until he came to the words,"…limited to…laceration…evisceration? Incineration?"

Bofur took this as a cue to complete his explanation from earlier, "Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye."

"Bofur, I really don't think that's helping," Ilona spoke, before standing and making her way to the head of the table so she stood by her father, watching the Hobbit all the while.

Bilbo's breathing started to slow down and grow shorter as he bent over.

"You all right, laddie?" Balin asked him, concern now written on his own face though it was covered by a certain amount of amusement.

Bilbo nodded and inhaled deeply. "Yeah…feel a bit faint."

Bofur stood up. "Think furnace with wings!" he said, attempting a pleasant tone of voice.

"Bofur..." Ilona mumbled quietly through clenched teeth as she eyed the dwarf across the table. Unfortunately, when Bilbo said he needed air, Bofur continued to speak.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash!"

Ilona simply hung her head in her hand. Bofur could be a little too 'helpful' at times.

Bilbo started to straighten up, much to Ilona's delight. He seemed just fine, until he plainly uttered, "Nope," and collapsed to the floor.

Ilona rolled her eyes and shook her head before giving Bofur a stern look, who just shrugged.

"Can't blame me for trying."

* * *

Ilona helped move the unconscious hobbit into the next room and sat him in his large armchair, leaving him there with Gandalf before going to retrieve some tea from the nearby kitchen. Upon returning with a small cup, the hobbit began to stir, so she left the cup on the nearby table and quickly exited the room. She figured he'd need a moment alone to speak with Gandalf.

The dwarfs had since dispersed from the dining room and were now sitting around smoking their pipes and drinking what little was left of the ale peacefully. Ilona found both Fili and Kili seated in the kitchen at a small table.. She took a spot beside Kili and began to toy with the small braid by his left ear, bringing a smile to the dwarf male's face. Even Fili couldn't help but smile at the two young dwarfs. He knew how each of them felt about the other being on this quest, especially Kili. But on the other hand, he knew this experience would be enlightening for the both of them. Not to mention empowering.

"I see you're in high spirits," Fili spoke, smugly smiling at the young she-dwarf, raising his eyebrow as he did so. Ilona chuckled and lightly shoved the blond head dwarf, who in turn laughed heartedly. Even Kili couldn't help but laugh at the pair. When it came to his brother and Ilona, they were like children. Actually, they were all a slight bit childish and immature when it came to the other two.

"How could I not be Master Dwarf, with you and our brother as company?"

The three continued laughing and joking amongst themselves. The three had been inseparable since thy were dwarflings and their bond was something truly remarkable, ever growing and changing as they themselves grew older. Kili wrapped his arms around Ilona's shoulders and pulled her close, placing a kiss on the top of her head. Fili smile again to himself, pipe in hand. He's missed this picture.

The three remained in their solitude of the kitchen, simply enjoying the company of the other two. As the three sat there, Oin walked in to join them.

"Want me to have a look at that wound lassie?"

Kili turned to Ilona who simply nodded her head. His look was one of shock and bewilderment. What wound?

Fili's expression almost mirrored that of his brother's, though he tried not to seem so surprised. She was a strong one, and for her to carry on the way she has been, the wound could not be too horrific. At least that's what he'd hoped.

Fili's thought has been wrong. Ilona, moved her tunic up her side, revealing a quite blood soaked bandage. He was surprised it hadn't bled through her tunic. Oin removed the bandage as well as the medicinal leaves she had dressed it with, and tried to assess the wounds. Kili looked to shocked to move.

"Lad," Oin began, clearly trying to distract Kili from Ilona's current state, "go heat some water in that kettle would you?"

Kili did as he was told, but was very careful to not leave the immediate area. His blood was boiling, and he couldn't contain his shaking. He wanted to hear what had happened.

"Now lass," Oin began again, listening very carefully since he was almost completely deaf in both ears, "Tell me what happened."

Ilona took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady as Oin tended to her wounds.

"We were ambushed outside of Bywater. An orc pack had followed us from the lowlands, and tey attacked us while we were on the road at night. I was very rudely dismounted by a warg. Luckily, this is the most extensive injury I sustained." Ilona had condensed the story considerably, leaving out the fact that she had been forced to leave Darren and Shaw behind. Not to mention the orcs chilling words.

_"She is the child taken in by Durin. She is the master's prize."_

"Well, the bleeding is still pretty bad, so you'll probably need a couple of stitches but other than that, you should be fine," Oin focused very hard to make sure he was making his assessment correctly since he was waiting on hot water to clean the wounds, "I'll keep an eye on it these next few days to make sure it don't get infected."

Ilona nodded her agreement as Kili returned with the kettle, as well as a clean rag. He winced as he looked at the wound, resisting the urge to reach out and touch Ilona's tanned skin. He could not imagine any harm ever actually coming to her, yet here she sat, skin torn and inflamed, bleeding and battered. She had been attacked.

Kili's anger returned, swarming over him like a wave. He sat in hos spot next to Ilona and wrapped his arm around her shoulders again, pulling her to him. She did not resist and grabbed his available hand with her, squeezing it in an attempt to distract her from the searing pain that coursed through her boy as Oin cleaned and redressed the wound. As he finished with stitches, he tied off the ends and finished with her clean bandages before standing and leaving the room, reassuring Ilona and the brothers with a smile as he left. Kili grip on Ilona tightened for a mere moment before he pulled back and addressing his brother.

"Never again."

Fili nodded in agreement as Ilona finally relaxed into Kili's side, her body suddenly ebbed of all energy.

* * *

Ilona stood to move again as she watched the hobbit walk down the hallway not a few moments before. She could only assume that they had in fact lost their burglar, and she couldn't help but feel a little let down. She'd hoped he would have come along.

The young she-dwarf moved into the front room and decided to sit in front of the fireplace, where a large fire was busy burning away, pictures she witnessed being painted in flame. She knew not how much time had passed when she began to hear low sounds coming behind her. As the sounds got louder, she realized the Dwarves were humming and she recognized the tune. She stood from her spot in front of the fire and moved to stand next to Kili who had just walked into the room with his brother. At that moment Thorin began to sing, the sound low and gravelly. The words held feelings of their home, the one that was taken all those ago.

_Far over the Misty Mountains cold,_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

Ilona, having been humming softly with the company, joined her father in singing, for she had heard the song many times as a dwarfling and knew the deep feeling of hope it brought to Thorin that they would one day reclaim their homeland.

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long forgotten gold_.

No matter how many times she heard it, the deep meaning behind the song never ceased to send chills down Ilona's spine. To most of them, it was a song of home. Even though she never knew Erebor like Thorin or any of the others did, to her, it felt like a song of home, too. She closed her eyes as the rest of the dwarfs joined in singing.

_The pines were roaring on the height,_

_The winds were moaning in the night,_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread,_

_The trees like torches blazed with light._

There was long moment of silence as the spiritual song came to a close. The dwarfs revelled in this silence, sending protective prayers over the group, knowing they would possibly face unimaginable danger.

The silence was broken by Thorin who told the company that they should retire for the evening and that they would be leaving at first light. The dwarfs spread out amongst the room, grabbing blankets from nearby closets and travel packs. The silence of sleep came quickly, for the dwarfs prepared themselves for the long journey ahead.

Ilona lay underneath the window and watched the moon high in the sky. She was so lost in thought, imagining the peace beneath the moon, until she felt someone move next to her on the floor. She turned over slightly to see Kili settling his bedroll next to hers. She turned her body over so the she faced him and smiled smile was so radiant, he could see it even in the dark of the house and he did something he had not done in weeks. He placed his hand lightly behind her head and pulled her down so that their lips met. It was almost like a spark when he kissed her and she melted into him almost instantly. They broke away after a seemingly short moment and placed their foreheads together, the energy passing from one to the other. After another moment he spoke softly.

"I've missed you."

Ilona, the ever cheeky one, could not pass up the opportunity to respond as she did.

"I know."


	5. Early Rise, Early Shine

The sun rose too quickly for an ever tired Ilona, who had not slept properly for close to two nights. Turning from her spot next to Kili, she winced as her still fresh wound ached at the movement as she leaned up to stretch her now stiffened body. Rising from her bedroll, she quickly reattached it to her nearby pack before shouldering it and carefully making her way through the ever crowded living space. Lightly stepping over bodies and beards, Ilona made her way down the hall to the front door, exiting quickly, making sure to shut the door silently behind her. She smirked to herself as she heard the soft click of the latch. She really was quite graceful for a dwarf, having exited such a crowded space without so much as disturbing a single other being.

Ilona turned and observed her surroundings: the grassy knolls covered in dew, glittering in the rising sun; the sounds of the birds in the surrounding trees, happily twittering as a cart filled with vegetables passed by on the nearby road. The peace that radiated from the Shire reminded Ilona of her home in Belegost, where she had settled with Thorin and his sister, Dis, as well as Fili and Kili. She missed the peaceful streets in early morning, when the only people awake are the shopkeepers and the farmers, before the bustle of the day sets in and the streets are overrun by customers and families with their children and wares. Ilona walked down the path to the front gate and leaned on it, propped up on her elbows. As she stared across the grassy fields again, she smiled as she thought of returning to not Belegost, but to Erebor, the Great Keep of the Lonely Mountain. She had heard stories of Erebor her entire life, and dreamed of the day she would see it for herself. But never did she think that she would be fighting to take it back. The opportunity was exhilarating, and Ilona could not wait to begin this journey.

* * *

Ilona's ear twitched as she heard the door open and close again, though not as quietly as she had done earlier. Footsteps trudged down the path toward the gate and stopped beside the young she-dwarf, who turned to see her father standing beside her. Ilona smiled as Thorin leaned on the gate by his daughter. He marveled at her elegance and her bravery, for making the trek from Belegost to the southlands and to the Shire. She truly was an extraordinary woman, to have done all this, as young as she was. Without a drop of royal blood in her, she had been brought up as fit to rule as his nephews and that within itself was an extraordinary feat. Thorin was needless to say, proud.

"You are something else Ilona," Thorin began, smiling at his daughter, who in turn smiled back before staring back out across the Shire.

"I learned from the best now, didn't I," Ilona replied watching her father closely from the corner of her eye. She had yet to mention the attack in the forest but yet somehow, she knew…

"Why did you not tell me of the attack in the forest?" Ilona turned to Thorin with a quick snap of the head. His face was blank, his eyes forward. But Ilona saw the sadness deep in his eyes. He felt it as well. The deep feeling of loss that he felt. How close he could have come to not seeing her, here and now. How in the span of time since she had left Belegost, all that time ago, it would have been the last time he ever saw his daughter in this life.

"Who told you?" Ilona stated finally, having mustered up the courage to talk, after assessing her father's features. Thorin turned his eyes to her, though he triend his hardest to keep his face blank. He knew if he showed anger, she would shut down and would then refuse to discuss the matter further.

"Oin. He mentioned last night, after he tended to you in the kitchen," Ilona sighed and shook her head. She knew Oin meant well and did not intend her harm, but she had wished she could have brought it up in her own time, "He only mentioned it though. He did not go into detail. I expect you did not tell him much."

Ilona, now composed and smiling, looked again at her father.

"Would you have not done the same though, had it been you in my place?"

"Aye, I would have lass," Thorin began, "But the difference is, I am the King. You are my daughter." Ilona rolled her eyes. And so, it begings.

"It's no different if you put yourself in danger, than if I do the same."

"What would you have done if things had gone differently _Zander_?" Thorin's face became strict and rigid, "Where would that have left the dwarves you are destined to lead?"

Ilona turned to walk out the gate, but Throin's next words stopped her in her tracks.

"What would Kili have done, had you not shown up last night?"

He had done it. He had pointed out the biggest flaw in her process. She had not even thought of how her actions would have affected Kili. He would have been devastated. He would have broken up the party, along with her father to go into the forest, looking for her. And when he stumbled across her bloody, decaying traveling party; when he saw he blood soaked weapons strew across the clearing, her body nowhere to be found, because she had been taken prisoner because of her negligence, that would be his breaking point. He would never be the same. Ilona's body shivere at the thought.

"I'm glad you're safe, dear one," Thorin began, walking up to Ilona and pulling her into a tight embrace, "But next time, don't be so rash in your decisions."

Ilona laid her head on her father's shoulder and took in the feeling of the fur on her face. She was scared. Terrified even. And just like that, the feelings from her dream returned in an instant. The deep feeling of loss, she would wish it on anyone, especially her father or Fili or Kili. She pulled away from her father and smiled at him, realizing for the first time in weeks that she felt safe. Truly safe.

* * *

Having roused the remainder of the traveling party, Thorin and company began their trek into Hobbiton to reclaim Ilona's chestnut mare, Fion, and obtain ponies for the remainder of the company. The large company of dwarves was, frightening, to say the least for the Hobbits. They recoiled in fear and disquiet but otherwise, left the dwarves to their own business. Thorin left the group within the market to explore whilst he spoke to a stable owner in order to acquire the large amount of ponies he had left there earlier the previous night. Ilona took advantage of the time to return to the outermost part of Hobbiton and fond Fion, still tied to the post that Ilona had left her at the day previous.

The chestnut mare, albeit quite annoyed with being left unattended with no food, was happy to see her rider, whinnying excitedly as Ilona approached. Upon reaching the horse, Ilona patted the mare's side happily and reached into the saddle bag, pulling from it a feed bag and filled it with some oats she had acquired at the market. After attaching the feed bag, Ilona led the now contented mare back into Hobbiton.

She met with her traveling party within the market as Thorin returned from the stables with a line of horses in tow. Each dwarf took his horse in turn and Ilona noticed that there seemed to be two extra ponies, rather than one. Upon, inspecting the traveling party, her deduction had been correct.

"Where is Master Baggins?" Ilona addressed her father, who stopped his trek in order to face her.

"Our 'burglar,'" Thorin spoke the words with a slight twinge of venom, which startled Ilona, "Will not be joining us."

"But I thought, Gandalf said," Ilona was interrupted by Thorin's harsh words.

"He will not be coming along Ilona! He has made his choice." With that Thorin marched on, mounted his pony and began to ride into the forest. The remainder of the company followed, Ilona remaining close to the back near Kili and Fili. She had hoped the Hobbit would have joined them along for the journey. She really thought it would have been good for him, to see the outside world away from the Shire.

* * *

The group met up with Gandalf on his full sized horse a little further into the forest. Something about "looking ahead." Sometimes, Ilona had to wonder what all the pipe weed had to be doing to the wizard's mind. She allowed the situation to pass however and rode on in silence, ignoring her now slightly throbbing side. Kili glanced over at Ilona and noticed how downtrodden she seemed. Her occasional wince of pain did not go unnoticed by him either.

Fili watched his brother and his future sister closely. He knew that this journey would test them, but he did not think it would start out this way. With Ilona suffering from a battle injury and his brother watching her every move to make sure it did not get any worse. He just wished…He wished they could have been there to protect her.

* * *

"_But why are we not allowed to be in the traveling party with her?" Kili face radiated anger with his uncle and Balin, who had told them they were not allowed to accompany Ilona on her journey to the Southlands to meet with Beral._

"_Beral would take no interest in Ilona if the two 'rightful' heirs of Durin show up on his doorstep," Balin began, using rightful very loosely._

"_Besides," Thorin interjected, "She's made this journey several times before, and it's never been an issue with the two of you before."_

"_Aye, that was before she became my fiancé!" Kili, now overbearingly angry, shouted through the Great Hall, drawing the attention of all the attendants around. Fili grabbed his brother's shoulder in order to calm him, before addressing his uncle in a much more calm manner. _

"_You have to understand Thorin, we don't want her in any danger, which is why we would feel better if you would allow us on her traveling party."_

_Thorin considered this, but he had been advised by Balin against allowing the three heirs to travel together for fear of them being attacked as a group. After all, they were to begin their journey to take back Erebor not long after. _

"_My decision is final," Thorin began again, "Ilona will make the journey with Darren and Shaw, as well as the other six. You two are to stay behind."_

_ Needless to say, Kili was furious. His blood boiled beneath his skin and he gritted his teeth together. _

_ "You're sending her out there without us,"He began again., face burning "She'll be a sitting duck!"_

_ "Thorin, you can't be serious…"Fili pleaded with his uncle, eyes glazing for fear for his dear sister. He couldn't bear to think of the dangers she might face._

_ "Ilona has made this journey thousands of times before, most times with only Darren for protection," Balin began, taking this opportunity to address the two young heirs, "This time is no different, though she will be a taking a much larer traveling party."_

_ "Balin is right," Thorin again addressed the room, "Ilona is already traveling with more than enough protection, and I refuse to exude my two most valuable resources to protect her even further. Thorin himself was now heated, and his face burned with anger. But he felt a slight twinge of sympathy for his nephews. After al, he wanted his daughter in no more danger than they. _

_ "She will be fine," Thorin finally resolved, "She will meet us in the Shire in three weeks time, and she will be fine."_

* * *

Thorin's mind jolted with the thundering flashback of the last meeting before they had sent Ilona off into the wild. He had been wrong. She had needed their protection, and he had refused the request. All to what? Prove himself a good leader? He had failed her. And he felt the pang of guilt rush through his body at his harsh words to her earlier pertaining to one Master Baggins. After all, he was lucky she was even along for this journey. Especially now.

The company continued on in silence, trudging along the very edge of Hobbiton, until a very familiar voice cried off in the distance.

"Wait!"

* * *

**_I have returned! Just wanted to write a quick note to say how much I appreciate you all reading. Also, please keep an eye on my profile for update info and check out the poll to give me your input on what stories you'd like to see more of. Thanks loves! :)_**


End file.
